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Concept Unification
Concept Unification is the process at ShowBiz Pizza Place whereby Rock-afire Explosion stages were converted to the 3-Stage Munch's Make Believe Band format during the early 1990s. Following the merger between Pizza Time Theatre and ShowBiz Pizza Place, the combined company maintained the two restaurant brands simultaneously for several years. Each continued its own stage shows and sold different merchandise. However, in the latter part of the decade, relations between Creative Engineering and ShowBiz began to cool. In 1988, Aaron Fechter, the founder of Creative Engineering and creator of the Rock-afire Explosion, claimed that the fallout between his company and ShowBiz arose when ShowBiz asked him to sign away the licensing and copyrights to the Rock-afire Explosion, which would have allowed ShowBiz to cut production costs on the show, such as the manufacture of future shows and royalty payments to Creative Engineering. Fechter refused, both on the grounds that ShowBiz offered no monetary compensation for the rights, and because Fechter had hoped to franchise Rock-afire out as a cartoon series.The Rock-afire Explosion. Dir. Brett Whitcomb. Connell Creations, 2008. Due to changing relations with Creative Engineering, which owned The Rock-afire Explosion, ShowBiz Pizza Time opted to replace The Rock-afire Explosion with a different stage show. To that end, ShowBiz test marketed the use of licensed characters, ultimately deciding to test Hanna-Barbera's Yogi Bear and Boo Boo at three ShowBiz locations for a one-year period. The company ultimately decided to complete a process called "Concept Unification," in which all ShowBiz Pizza locations would be remodeled into Chuck E. Cheese locations. The remodel included the elimination of all Rock-afire characters from merchandise and advertising, and the retrofitting of the Rock-afire animatronics into a new show called Munch's Make Believe Band, featuring the Pizza Time Players. Unused animatronics and props were either sold to other restaurants or destroyed. Concept Unification began in 1990 and occurred sporadically at ShowBiz locations for the next two years, with the final ShowBiz being converted in 1992. As Concept Unification began at each location, the left and center stages of the Rock-afire show were shut down, leaving only the Rolfe and Earl characters operational. During this period, the characters performed "The Rolfe and Earle Show," featuring the voices of ShowBiz employees imitating the characters; the two ran a highlights reel of old Rock-afire shows and wondered aloud what the band would do now, and hinted at the coming Chuck E. Cheese-themed show. "The Rolfe and Earle Show" was the final Rock-afire show in the context of ShowBiz Pizza Place. After Concept Unification had been completed on the center and left stages, Rolfe and Earl were themselves removed.The Rolfe and Earle Show (Cyberstar) Show Tape Review In a process lasting approximately one week, the stages were converted from The Rock-afire Explosion to Munch's Make Believe Band. The stage conversion was first performed on center stage and stage left, followed by stage right on the last night of the conversion. During the conversion, the restaurant would run the one-stage "Rolfe and Earle Show" showtape. * Playthrough of the Rolfe and Earle showtape, ensuring that the Rolfe DeWolfe and Earl Schmerle animatronics are in the best working condition possible. This check was required to be completed no later than the Wednesday morning prior to the Sunday where installation would begin. * Scheduling of the installation of the neon Chuck E. Cheese sign with Heath Sign Company. * Removal and destruction of all props on center stage and stage left. * Removal of Fatz's organ from the stage, and disconnection of all air lines that feed to the characters on center stage and stage left. * Removal of all cosmetics from characters on center stage and stage left. * Removal of all animatronics from center stage and stage left. * Removal of all carpeting, floor lighting, and backdrops on center stage and stage left, and cleaning the stages. * Closure of obsolete hardware access points, and opening of new hardware access points for animatronics on center stage and stage left. * Installation of new carpet, floor lighting, and scenery on center stage and stage left. * Reinstallation of animatronics in new locations on center stage and stage left. * Reinstallation of the organ. * Installation of the Wink. * Application of cosmetics for Helen Henny, Mr. Munch, Jasper T. Jowls, and the Building on center stage, and for Pasqually and Pizzacam on stage left. * Exchanging the brown eyes in Rolfe's animatronic with the blue eyes in Beach Bear's animatronic, giving Jasper brown eyes and giving Chuck E. Cheese blue eyes. * Exchanging of the old front panel of the organ with the new front panel. * Removal of all cosmetics from stage right. * Removal of all props and scenery from stage right. * Removal of all animatronics from stage right. * Removal of carpeting from stage right, and cleaning the stage. * Painting the 2x4 header on stage right black. * Installation of new carpeting and backdrop on stage right. * Installation of star on stage right. * Reinstallation of animatronic on stage right. * Installation of television on stage right. * Exchanging the old right-arm assembly containing the Earl animatronic with the new right-arm assembly for Chuck E. Cheese. * Application of cosmetics for Chuck E. Cheese on stage right. * Installation of the facade for the television on stage right. * Repositioning of lights on light bar, and installation of helicopter light. * Replacement of the old EPROM with the 3.3 EPROM in control room. * Adjustment of air pressure, light positions, and VCR. * Installation of Chuck E. Cheese neon sign on stage right. Category:ShowBiz Pizza Place